Could working with an ingredient distributor drive innovation?

Specialty ingredients distributor IMCD says that working with a distributor, rather than individual suppliers, allows food companies to tap into application-driven expertise - beyond their own R&D capabilities.

FoodNavigator spoke with EMEA technical manager, food and nutrition technical centre, at IMCD Michel Faes, at FIE in Frankfurt this week. The company was showcasing a Belgian chocolate with a very light filling, which it says uses ingredients and application knowledge from its suppliers, as well as that of its in-house research team.

Faes explained that for food and beverage companies, working with a distribution firm may bring more application-driven ingredient knowledge than they might find by working directly with ingredient suppliers.